Most mother in law are controlling, judgmental, critical, manipulative and overbearing. Most of the time making the life of their daughter in law difficult and unbearable. They are always right and never wrong. They have the tendency to never apologize for anything. They would rather put blame on someone else. To maintain their dominance they always expect their daughter in laws or son in law to please them. If any of that does not happen the son- or daughter-in-law is seen as useless and worthless. And she will then complain about their son or daughter in law to anyone who’ll listen.

 

 

 

 
In Durban General we see Agatha, Mbali’s mother in law always being hard on Mbali. She thinks Mbali owes them for helping raise her. From childhood she never got a chance to say no and Agatha is always controlling and manipulating her. She does not want her to be free and enjoy her life.

In Muvhango Vho Masindi Susan’s mother in law always takes sides. Defending his son Azwindini. Susan is expected to be submissive to his husband even when he is wrong. Azwindini has been changing women every now and then and Susan is expected to fight for her marriage. I do not think that if Susan was Vho-Masindi’s daughter she would allow what Azwindini is doing. No mother can let her daughter settle and suffer like that.

In The Black Door Rebecca clearly does not like her son in law. She is too overprotective of her daughter. Because of her son in law’s lifestyle and behavior.
Opinion

For me Rebecca takes the trophy. She is my favourite mother in law. She can see right through Nka. Nka is so selfish as he wants to benefit from things he never worked for. Her son in law is not good for her daughter because he is feeding her drugs. No mother can allow that. He is not good for Boni. I love Rebecca she is doing a good job by mistreating that bad boy. That boy is just bad news.